Student visa to Britain

A student visa to the UK is a pressing request for many clients who seek immigration law specialists. If you are interested in qualified legal assistance on this issue, you have come to the right place. The "Prikhodko & Partners" law firm employs specialists who understand the procedure for obtaining a student visa to the UK and regularly support client cases in this area. So, you can apply for both consulting services and legal support. Now we should consider in more detail the features of a British student visa and the conditions for its registration.

What are the requirements for applicants?

Applicants aged 16 and over can apply for a visa. It is important to know that if the applicant is under 18, a number of additional requirements must be met. These are parental consensus, government approval, and notarized documents.

When it comes to a student who must study on courses, these can only be courses conducted by a licensed sponsor (university, college). Another mandatory requirement is CAS: Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This is the name of an official document issued by a British educational institution confirming that the applicant has actually been enrolled in the course.

Equally important is confirmation of language proficiency. This refers to confirmation of the required knowledge of the English language. When extending a visa, an additional check may be carried out.

The financial requirements for this visa are as follows:

• £1,483 per month in London or £1,136 outside London (available after 2 January 2025);
• minimum funds available for 28 days before application.

These requirements are intended to confirm that the student actually has sufficient financial resources for the duration of his or her studies.

What is the procedure for submitting documents?

The timeframe for submitting your application depends on where you are submitting from. If you are submitting from overseas, you must submit your application 6 months before the course starts and you will receive a decision in approximately 3 weeks.

If you are submitting your application in the UK, you must submit your application 3 months before the course starts and you will receive a decision in approximately 8 weeks.

The government fee for submitting documents to apply for or extend this visa is £524 (according to gov.uk). You will also need to pay an IHS surcharge of £776 per year or a proportionately lower amount.

What you should know about biometrics, entry and visa validity?

The procedure involves biometric registration, obtaining an eVisa and enhanced border checks – stamps (vignettes) on paper passports will no longer be used after July 15, 2025.

It is also worth separately touching on the issue of the duration and conditions of stay. When it comes to higher education, such a visa can be valid for up to 5 years. If the education provided is below the bachelor's level, the visa can be issued for up to 2 years.

Is it possible to work in the UK while studying?

Questions about working while studying are quite common. Employment is possible depending on the course the student is studying. During consultations, we answer questions on this matter in detail, taking into account the specific circumstances of your situation and possible prospects. At the same time, foreign students who receive a visa should be aware that during their studies it is forbidden to:

1. engage in professional sports;
2. carry out professional activities as a self-employed person;
3. receive government payments.

The right to family reunification is significantly limited for most students as it depends on the type of course – predominantly it is only available to postgraduate/research students on a government grant.

What are the immigration changes?

As of May 2025, the following trends were noted:

• raising language standards;
• limiting sponsorship rights for institutions with crisis indicators;
• reducing the Graduate Route to 18 months.

The transition to eVisas and the electronicization of resident cards became relevant from July 15, 2025.

How will our services be useful?

When you contact the lawyers of the "Prikhodko & Partners" law firm when applying for a student visa to the UK, we know how to help effectively and efficiently. Advisory support will give you the opportunity to get answers to all your questions and not have to look for them yourself. A lawyer will help you figure out what steps in the legal field need to be taken to get the desired result.

As for legal support, in this case, actions that do not require your personal presence, you delegate to a specialist. This significantly simplifies all processes in the legal plane. To order the relevant services, fill out the feedback form on our website.